Coaxial jack



April 8, 1969 M. F. OKEEFE ET AL I 3,437,982

COAXIAL JACK Filed Aug. 22,1966 Sheet 0:2

April 8, 1969 @KEEFE ET AL 3,437,982

COAXIAL JACK Sheet 3 of2 Filed Aug. 22, 1966 United States Patent 3,437,982 'COAXIAL JACK Michael Francis OKeefe and Robert Stanley Stull,

Mechanicsburg, Pa., assignors to AMP Incorporated, Harrishurg, Pa.

Filed Aug. 22, 1966, Ser. No. 573,958 Int. Cl. Htilr 17/06, 17/18 US. Cl. 339-177 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to coaxial jacks.

Coaxial jacks are known which are mounted on electrical equipment to disconnectably mate with coaxial connectors at one end and have at the other end a conventional type of integral connection for connection to other coaxial connectors. Such an arrangement permits connection of the other ends of the jacks to only one kind of other coaxial connectors and this arrangement limits the flexibility of the jacks.

An object of the invention is to provide a coaxial jack that has one end mateable with a plug and another end adaptable to mate with conventional coaxial connectors.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a coaxial jack having a center contact provided with spring characteristics to mate with conventional coaxial connectors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coaxial jack having a threaded connection to selectively ground the jack or provide an insulated connection on a mounting member.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a coaxial jack having an outer spring contact that is held in captive position without any securing means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a coaxial connector having one end provided with means to permit mating with conventional coaxial connectors.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there are shown 'and described illustrative embodiments of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments are not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but are given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

The foregoing and other objects are achieved bv a preferred embodiment of a coaxial connector comprising a shell defining an outer contact member, a dielectric member disposed in the shell, a center contact member in the dielectric member, the center contact member provided with spaced spring-contact areas, means to maintain the dielectric member in position in the shell, the maintaining means having means thereon to secure selectable adapter members thereon for electrical engagement with coaxial connectors mateable with the selected adapter members, and center contact means on the adapter members mateable with the center contact member.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective exploded view of a coaxial jack;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial jack in an assembled condition;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of FIGURE 2 with a plug exploded therefrom;

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the coaxial jack with a TNC adapter exploded therefrom; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 with a UHF adapter exploded from the coaxial jack.

Turning now to the drawings and in particular to FIGURES 1 through 3, a coaxial jack CI is illustrated. The coaxial jack comprises a metallic body member 1 having a threaded forward end 2 and a threaded rear end 3. Forward end 2 is threadably secured within a panel member PM. Body member 1 is a tubular member and includes flat surfaces 4 to enable the body member to be tightened within panel member PM by means of a wrench or the like. An annular flange 5 is located at forward end 2. The spring-contact member 6 is disposed within body member 1 with its forward end operating against annular flange 5. The contact member 6 includes round section 7 and 8; these round sections snugly engage the interior surface of the body member. An annular flange 9 is located at the end of round section 8. Part-helical openings 10 are located in contact members 6 between section 7 and 8 and openings 10 form part-helical spring members 11 between sections 7 and 8 which as can be discerned from FIGURE 2, bend in toward the axis of body member 1 to define another contact member.

An insulation member 12 extends between annular flange 9 at the other end of the body member. An opening 13 extends through insulation member 12 and an annular recess 14 is disposed in one end of insulation member concentric with opening 13. A center contact 15 is disposed in opening 13. Center contact 15 is a tubular member having contact-engaging areas 16 and 17 axially spaced therealong which are formed by part-helical openings 10 and spring members 11 of spring-contact member 6. The outer end of center contact 15 has radial projections 18 for engagement with the end of insulation member 12 between opening 13 and annular recess 14 to limit the movement of the center contact within body member 1. 1

A center contact member 19 includes a pin contact 20 at one end for engagement within contact-engaging area 17, a socket contact 21 at the other end and a flange 22 separating the contacts. Flange 22 abuts against projections 18 to limit the inner movement of pin contact 20 within contact-engaging area 17. An insulative element 23 is provided with a hole 24 which communicates with a recess 25 and annular wall 26 limiting the recess 25 which is mateable with the annular recess 14 of insulation member 12 while flange 22 is disposed within recess 25 and socket contact 21 extends through hole 24.

An insulation support member 27 has an opening 28 extending therethrough in which socket contact 21 is disposed and the plane inner surface of member 27 abuts against the plane outer surface of element 23. An annular shoulder 29 is located on member 27.

A securing member 30 has an internally threaded section 31 mateable with threaded end 3 to secure contact member 6 and insulation member 12 in place within body member 1. Securing member 30 also has externally threaded section 32 on which an internally threaded section 33 of a coaxial connecting member 34 of the BNC type is mated. Connecting member 34 has an annular shoulder 35 on the inner surface against which annular shoulder 29 of support member 27 abuts to secure support member 27, element 23 and center contact member 19 in position.

Securing member 30 and internally-threaded section 33- have opposed fiat surfaces 36 for a similar use as flat surfaces 4 on body member 1. With coaxial jack in an assembled condition and mounted in panel member PM with coaxial connecting member 34 in position thereon, the coaxial jack can be connected to a coaxial connector of the BNC type to connecting member 34 and the plug member 37, FIGURE 3 having an outer contact 38 which comprises a tubular member and an inner contact 39 in sulated from outer contact 38. Contacts 38 and 39 are connected to respective conductors of coaxial cable 40 within body member 41.

If it is decided that the coaxial jack is to be connected to a coaxial connector of the TNC type, coaxial-connecting member 34 and insulation support member 27 as a unit is removed from securing member 30 of the coaxial jack and replaced by coaxial-connecting member 34' of the TNC type and insulation support member 27 as illustrated in FIGURE 4 so that coaxial-connecting member 34' can be mated with a coaxial connector of the TNC type.

FIGURE illustrates a UHF adapter 42 to replace either connecting members 34, 34 on securing member 30. When using UHF adapter 42 center contact member 19 and insulative element 23 are removed from the coaxial jack since UHF adapter 42 has a center contact 43 for disposition within contact-engaging area 17 of center contact and a protruding section 44 of the insulation member carrying center contact 43 to fit within externally threaded section 32 and abut against radial projections 18 of center contact 15 and UHF adapter 42 has an internally threaded section mateable with externally threaded section 32 to secure the UHF adapter on securing member 33.

Various types of adapters for use in connection with conventional coaxial connectors have been disclosed, however, it is obvious that other types of adapters may be positioned on the coaxial jack to accommodate other types of coaxial connectors.

The contact-engaging areas of spring contact member 6 and center contact 15 provide excellent electrical contact with outer contact 38 and inner contact 39 of plug member 37 and center contact member 19 and center contact 43 as a result of the spring characteristics provided by the part-helical spring members in these contactengaging areas.

The coaxial jacks of the present invention are to be used primarily in conjunction with coaxial patch panels. As can be discerned, there has been disclosed a unique and novel coaxial jack which is adapted to receive various kinds of adapters on one end to mate with conventional coaxial connectors and includes excellent contactengaging areas to electrically engage outer and inner contacts of a plug member as well as a center contact for the adapters.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and other desirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasized that the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown and described herein, are intended as merely illustrative and not as restrictive of the invention.

The invention is claimed in accordance with the following:

1. A coaxial jack connector comprising a hollow cylindrical shell having a spring contact area provided inwardly from an insertion end of said shell and extending along a section of said shell to provide an outer contact, said spring contact area defining spring members extending inwardly toward an insertion axis of said jack connector, a dielectric member in said hollow shell, a contact member disposed in said dielectric member and having a first center contact area disposed adjacent said spring contact area and a second center contact area adjacent an outer end of said shell, means securing said dielectric member in said shell, and coaxial-connecting means having a dielectric means carrying a center contact element electrically engageable with said second center contact area and an outer contact means provided with other securing means for engagement with said firstmentioned securing means thereby securing said coaxialconnecting means on said first-mentioned securing means, said coaxial-connecting means taking different forms to connect to complementary coaxial connectors.

2. A coaxial jack connector according to claim 1 wherein said first center contact area and said second center contact area include spring elements extending inwardly toward said insertion axis.

3. A coaxial jack connector according to claim 1 wherein said spring contact area is a spring contact member extending between said insertion end of said shell and said dielectric member.

4. A coaxial jack connector comprising a hollow shell, a spring-contact member having a spring-contact area in said hollow shell and extending from one end of said hollow shell to a section proximate the other end of the hollow shell, a dielectric member extending between said spring-contact member and the other end of said hollow shell, said dielectric member having an opening extending therethrough, a center contact means in said opening and having a spring-contact area adjacent the spring-contact area of said spring-contact member and another spring-contact area within said opening, a member securing said spring-contact member and said dielectric member within said hollow shell, an extension extending outwardly from said member and having a bore therein, a center contact having a first section electrically mateable with the other spring-contact area within said opening and a second section extending along and outwardly from said bore, a dielectric insert insertable with in said bore and including a hole through which said second section extends, said extension receiving thereon coaxial-connecting means of different kinds to surround said second section of said center contact and to connect with different coaxial connectors, said center contact and dielectric insert being removable and replaceable with another coaxial-connecting means having a center contact element electrically mateable with the other spring-contact area Within said opening and dielectric means mateable with said bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,833,145 11/1931 Wilhelm 339276 2,755,331 7/1956 Melcher 339-117 2,762,025 9/1956 Melcher 339177 X 2,981,920 4/1961 Jackson 339l77 X MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

JOHN R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

